Adjustable collar-fastener



v {No Model.)

J. v. WASHBURNE. ADJUSTABLE COLLAR PASTENER.

N0.500,640. Patented July 4, 1893.

EAT/y z a 5 o i l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES V. WASHBURNE, OF MORRISON, ILLINOIS.

ADJUSTABLE COLLAR-FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 500,640, dated July 4, 1893. Application filed April 12, 1893. Serial No. 170,093- (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES V. WASHBURNE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Morrison, in the county of Whiteside and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Collar-Fasteners; and I do declare the following to be a full,.clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has reference to improvements in adjustable collar fasteners, and has for its purpose the securely holding of the front portion of a collar in proper relation to the shirt band without the use of a button or stud, and to permit the ends of the collar to lap over each other any desired degree, so as to cause the collar, whatever its length, to lie smoothly along and fit against the outside of the shirt band.

As auxiliary to the foregoing, my invention is adapted to include also a semi-circular spring plate extending around the front portion of the shirt band, and being provided, at the extremities thereof, with clips adapted to unite the collar and the shirt band at the aforesaid localities.

One general source of annoyance and discomfort in the wearing of collars, is the liability, at times, of the collar being a little too long or short to fit smoothly against the exterior of the shirt band. In the first contingency the result is a bulging or puckering of the collar, and in the second situation the puckering of the shirt band, which, by reason of its chafiing against the neck of the wearer, is very uncomfortable. Another source of annoyance is the liability of the collar to ride over the shirt band at the side of the neck, thereby constantly annoying the wearer.

In my invention it is proposed to permit the ends of the collar to pass each other sufficiently, in every instance, to bring the collar tightly and smoothly against the shirt band, or to permit the degree of lap to be decreased to lengthen the collar to adapt it, as aforesaid, to the exterior of the shirt band. In other Words, the front fastening of the collar is not limited to any special degree of lap of said front ends, as is the case Where both ends are fastened over a common button or stud. The plate above referred to,which may extend any desired distance each way from the front fastening aforesaid, has the effect of supporting the collar and shirt band in the segment of a true circle, and at the same time furnish a seat, at its extremities, for the side clips before referred to. I accomplish these purposes by the construction shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective of my invention, exhibiting the forward portion of the shirt band and of the collar in position, as held by my invention. Fig. 2 is the same with the band and collar removed. Fig. 3 is avertical cross-section through the center of the forward or central fastening. Fig. 4 is a detail of the end clips.

Similar letters and figures refer to similar parts through out the several views.

A is the forward central fastening, which may, if desired, be used without the lateral plate or side clips. The part A is constructed from a metallic plate of suitable elasticity, and consists of the central vertical portion B, and the forward upwardly extending end 0, So and the rear downwardly extending end D. The central portion B, when in place, lies between the shirt band E and the ends F of the collar G.

The fastening A has a certain degree of resiliency from the quality of the metal employed; but, in order to more certainly clasp the interposed fabrics, I seat a spring H in the fastening A by passing its central portion through the part B midway the height of the 0 latter, and then bending the forward portion of said spring downward against the outside of the part B, and turning said spring in the bottom of the loop created by the end 0, and continuing said spring up along the inner surface of the end 0, and by bending the rear portion of the spring I-I up against the rear wall of the middle portion B to the upper end of the loop created by the downward end D, and continuing said spring around the inner surface of said loop and against the inner surface of the end D. The loop ends of the spring H will bear, respectively, against the fabric interposed between thefree ends of said spring and the central portion B of the fastener A. In order to .still further increase the clamp quality of said spring, I form slots J in the ends 0 D, and in the end of said slots seat a bell-crank lever K, which consists of lateral ears 1, projected under the walls of the slot J, at one end of the latter between the parts D and C and the adjacent surface of the spring 11. The short end 2 of lever K is adapted to bear against the exterior of the free end of the spring II when the longer portion 8 of said lever K is turned smoothly into the slot J. The slot J and the long portion 3 of the lever K are of such relative size that the portion 3, when the lever is folded into said slot, will lie smoothly in the latter, projecting only sufficient to enable said lever to be disengaged by the finger nail. Integral with the fastening A there is extended each way the segmental plate L, which extends backward against the outside of the shirt band over about the front half of the latter. On the extremities of the band L, and integral with the latter, are formed clips M, having exterior upward ends 0, and interior downward ends D, in substantial imitation of the like designated ends of the fastening A.

The operation of my invention is as follows:TheplateLis fastened on the shirt band E by passing such plate downward over said band, the shirt band E passing upward into the clips M,between the endsD and the main body of said plate, and between the rear end of the spring H and the central portion B of the fastening A. The inner lever K is then folded upward, its short end 2 thereby pressing and holdingthe adjacent end of the spring I-I firmly against the band E, and thereby clamping the latter against the rear wall of the central portion B. The collar F is then seated by passing its sides down into the upwardly extending ends 0 of the clips M, and its forward ends downwardly between the forward end of the spring II and the central portion 13 of the fastener A, when, by turning the long end of the external lever K downward, the forward end of said spring is pressed againstthe exterior lap of said collar, by the shank end of said lever and holds both of the ends of the latter firmly against the outside of the middle portion 13 of the fastener A.

Previous to forcing the ends of the collar into the fastening A, as aforesaid, said ends are folded smoothly against the outside of the plate L, and thereby lapped in front sufficiently to make the collar fit snugly against the exterior of said plate. The levers K are held in place by the resiliency of the contiguous ends of the spring H, and the collar is thereby not only held against vertical 'move ment, in reference to the'band E, but is also clamped smoothly against the outside of said band to such an extent that it cannot casually become displaced, and collars of varying lengths can be comfortably and satisfactorily worn. If spring K is made strong enough, levers H may be omitted.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, 1s

1. The collar fastener A, provided with central portion B, interior downwardly extending end D, and the exterior upwardly extending end 0, spring H seated between the portion B and ends 0 D, respectively, and the levers K seated in said fastening and adapted to bear, respectively, against the free ends of said spring; substantially as shown, and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of the fastener A, provided with the exterior and interior ends C D, spring I-l seated therein, plate L, and the clips M seated on the ends of the latter; substantially as shown, and for the purpose described.

3. In the combination of the fastener A, provided with the exterior end 0 and interior end D, spring H seated therein, and the plate L provided with suitable end clips M; substantially as shown, and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES V. WASI-IBURNE.

Witnesses:

JOHN G. MANAHAN, IRVING L. WEAVER. 

